Sub-standard drugs! Can it ever be stopped…

Recently, members of the Nigeria Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) staged a peaceful protest to register their displeasure over the sustained raiding of their shops by men of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN).

The patent drug retailers alleged that the action of the PCN was illegal, as it disregards the court orders and judgment directing otherwise.

On the same news, a board member of the NAPPMED council, said the Nigerian pharmacists are merely using diversionary tactic to cover their inability to check their members from producing and distributing fake and substandard drugs, which have ended up harming millions of Nigerians.

And on the foreign update, the United Nations global update on the fight against fake and sub- standard drug issued recently revealed that Nigeria had only achieved five per cent success in her effort to combat the scourge, which had contributed immensely to the rising mortality in the country.

Stakeholders in the medical profession have often expressed worry that drug counterfeiting has the potential to not only dent the image of the country, but impact negatively on its population.

The questions on our minds are: Why is it that in spite of the activities of NAFDAC, fake and sub- standard drugs are on the loose? Who certify these drugs worthy of entering the market? Who are the drugs merchants? Are they businessmen or members of the pharmaceutical society? If they are businessmen, do they provide alternative drugs for their families and friends?

NAFDAC is the body set aside to check the standard of food and drugs used in this country; they should go ahead with their job. Knowing well they are not only safe guarding Nigerians, but their own lives, the lives of their families and friends.

They should be impartial in their judgment because a little mistake on their part will not cost the lives of Nigerians alone, but the lives of humanity.